Electrical connection means



Jan. 24, 1939.v H. A. DOUGLAS ELECTRICAL I CONNECTION MEANS Filed Aug. 23, 1955 HQL'L'S A.-Dous1as 3o tending channel walls I 4, and a generally horiing the spring member 25. As best shown in 30 Patented Jan. 24,1939 Q I V I I 1 UNITED STATES. PATENT; OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEAN S Harry A. Douglas, Bronson, Mich., assignor to I Kingston Products Corporation, ,a corporation of Indiana .7

Application August 23, 1935, Serial No. 37,492

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 1'I3328) My invention relates to electrical connection to fasten the body portion I2to the base II. The

means, and more particularly to means for refoot I5 may be prevented from turning about the ceiving conductor terminals of the snap type, and fastening means 22 by a projection 23 struck the principal object of myinvention is to prodownwardly from the foot I5, the projection 23 5 vide new and improved electrical connection being adapted to be disposed in a recess 24 means of these types. formed in the upper surface of the base I I, In the drawing accompanying thisspecifica- Biasing means are provided for cooperation tion and forming a part of this application, I with the body portion I2, and comprise a spring have shown, for purposes of illustration, one member 25, here shown to be. formed of spring form which my invention may assume, and in wire, and generallyS-shaped, providing free legs 10 this drawing: n 26 and 21. The legs-26 and 21 of the spring Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the, member 25, and the portion thereof connecting embodiment of my invention, the legs 26, 21 are movablerelative to each other, Figure 2is a perspective view of the embodiapproximately in a general plane of relative l5 ment shown in Figure. 1,-the embodiment having movement. been turned 180 to show the 'rear side thereof, To assemble the biasing means with the body and portion I2, the spring member 25 is positioned so Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of that the leg 26 thereof is in abutting engagement the embodiment, including, in addition, a plug with the inner surfaces of the shoulders I9, 20 conductor terminal adapted to coooperate thereand the leg 21 is in abutting engagement with 20 Wi hthe upper surface of the horizontal'wall IS, the Referring to the drawing,theembodimenthere+ spring member 25, it will be appreciated, being in disclosed comprises a terminal post- I0, mount-- of a suitable width to operatively fit'within the ed on a base II, the base being. fragmentarily channels and I5 of the walls I3 and I5 reshown. Theterminal post Ill comprises a body spectively. With the spring. member in this po- 5 portion I2, here shown to be formed of a single "siti0n,'a portion of each channel wall I4, interpiece of channel stock bent into a generally right mediate the shoulders I9 and the channel walls angular formation. The body portion l2 in- I6 is bent inwardly,'as shown at", to provide cludes a generally vertical wall I3 having exsuitable guiding means for operatively positionzontal wall I5 having extending channel walls Figure e 88 forms a Q J- the lIi integrally joiningv the channel walls I4, erture I'I' formed in the vertical wall I3. The the horizontal wall I5 serving as. a, 1; for terminal post I0 is assembled as a unit, in the the body portion. I2, and being integral with the manner 'hereinbefore described, and the. fasten- I vertical wall I3 and extending at right angles 8 ea 22 y be disllflsed'thml'lgh the w 35 therefrom at the lower end thereof 1 ture 2|, in the horizontal wall I5, and the screw Y The vertical w n I3 i provided w t a plug threaded'end thereof engagedin a suitable screw terminal receiving recess, here shown to be a threaded aperture formed inthe base circular aperture I'I adjacent the top margin In Figure3 is shown a plug conductor terminal 40 thereof. Partially circumscribingthe aperture 2.9, adapted to; cooperate with the'terminal post 40 I1 is a laterally extending flange" having its "I, an -c mpr generally cylindrical Portion inner surface continuous with the aperture II. V 30 having an annu ar furrow 3| formed t r The flange I8 may be formed by drawing out the the plug conductor terminal 29 being provided metal theretofore forming part of the vertical with a-frustro conical end 32. A conductor wall I: which had been removed to form the apdisp s d with t plu du t t minal 9, 45

erture I'l. -As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the may be fastened thereto, as by swedging, indiflange I8 merges with integral outwardly extendcated by t e Swedge indentations "ing shoulders l9, which in turn integrally join The plug conductor terminal may-be moved to the channel walls ll of the vertical wall I3. The operative: position with respect .to the terminal shoulderslS, at their inner surfaces, form abutpost I 0 by inserting the frustro-conical end 32 50 ments 20, for apurpose hereinafter to be deinto the aperture", initial insertion causing the scribed. 1 frust'ro-conical end to cam the leg 26 of the spring The horizontal wall or foot I5 is provided with member 25 downwardly, to' provide for the acan aperture 2|, through which a screw 22 or any commodation of the cylindrical portion 30, and other suitable fastening-means may be disposed, further movement causing the leg 26 of the spring 55 member 25 to snap into the, annular furrow 3!, thus yielda bly holding the plug conductor terminal in operative position. on the plug conductor terminal 29 causes the tapering surface of the annular furrow 3| to cam the leg 26 downwardly, permitting removal of the plug conductor terminal from operative position.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention provides a new and improved electrical contact and connection means, economical in construction and assembly, and accordingly, accomplishes at least the principal object of my invention. I It further will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof, and that accordingly, the disclosure herehis, illustrative only, and my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. Receptacle means, comprising: a wall, having an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, and having also angular flanges extending from opposite marginal surfaces, said flanges being bent toward each other to form shoulders; and biasing means, comprising a resilient wire bent to provide a plurality of overlying and connectedportions, said biasing means being positioned in juxtaposed relation with a lateral sur- Withdrawal movement face of said wall, and said portions being movable relative to each other in a plane generally parallel to the plane including said lateral surface, one end portion bearing against a part of said wall, and the opposite end portion being urged toward abutment with said shoulders, and being in position to-yieldably engage a conductor terminal disposed in said wall aperture.

2. Receptacle means, comprising: a body, formed of sheet-metal channel stock bent to form a baseand a portion extending angularly from said base, the web of said portion being provided with an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, and the side flanges of said portion having inwardly turned projections extending generally parallel to said web but being spaced from said web, and certain portions of said side flanges being bent inwardly toward each other to form shoulders and then further bent to form a surface wall margining said aperture; and biasing means, comprising overlying and connected portions confined to movement within the space defined by said projections and the adjacent surface of said web, said portions being movable relative to each other, and having one end portion bearing against the web of said base, and the opposite end portion biased toward abutment with said shoulders, and being in position to yieldably engage a conductor terminal disposed in said web aperture.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

